0870 number

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An 0870 number is a United Kingdom dialling code, defined by Ofcom as "Special Services: Higher Rate". It is a non-geographic number; it does not relate to any particular location within the United Kingdom, but is translated to one by a Number Translation Service (NTS).

When originally introduced in 1996, calls to 0870 numbers from BT lines were charged at the same rate as national calls. Since that time the telecommunications market in the UK has changed substantially, with BT facing competition from new entrants into the market such as the Post Office and Talk Talk and increasing usage of mobile phones. As a result of this, and the introduction of monthly price plans which include calls to national numbers but not 0870 or other non-geographic numbers, it is now considerably more expensive to call an 0870 number than standard national 01 or 02 numbers.

From a BT line, it costs 6p/min in the daytime and 1.5p/min in the evenings (plus VAT) to call. However, it can cost up to 10p/min from other providers, and up to 40p/min if calling from a payphone or a mobile phone because of the Premiums which have to be transferred.

History

The 0870 code was originally introduced as 0990, the code formerly used for Ascot, when it was subsumed into 0344 (Bracknell). 0990 numbers were originally six-digit, and when 0870 was brought in to replace 0990, the six-digit numbers were prefixed with a 5 to make 0870 5xx xxxx. Mercury Communications Ltd (now Cable & Wireless) had a similar scheme, with its numbers beginning with 0541. Like 0990, they were also renumbered into the 0870 scheme, with the numbers becoming 0870 1xx xxxx. Other operators (such as Vodafone) also had national rate codes and were renumbered in a similar way.

Controversy

When 0870 numbers were originally introduced, they were called national rate numbers. This is because they cost the same as a call to a telephone number outside of your local dialling zone. However, since 2004, the distinction between local and national rate calls has been abolished - it is now incorrect to refer to 0870 numbers as national rate. While the cost of geographic calls (01 and 02) has dramatically dropped due to competition, with many tariffs including unlimited calls to such numbers in their price, the cost of calls to non-geographic numbers (such as calls to 0870 numbers) has remained high. This difference is often passed back to the call recipient in the form of a revenue share (up to 5p a minute for the highest call volumes^{[citation needed]}), although this does not always take place, in which case the revenue is shared amongst the call carrying telcos. Ofcom and BT for years disputed that this "revenue sharing" with NGNs was in effect identical to that for Premium calls. Ofcom have decided to transfer the regulation of 0871 numbers to PayphonePlus (formerly ICSTIS) which regulates all UK Premium numbers^{[citation needed]}, therefore admitting that 0871 is in reality a Premium number - but allowing call queuing to continue. Some see this as a way to circumvent the original decision of Oftel - that call queuing on Premium numbers was very much against the consumers' interests.^{[citation needed]}

The principal attraction of these numbers to companies, entities and the UK government is that call queuing is permitted whilst per minute revenue is being generated, which can allow call centres particularly to generate very large amounts of revenue with high call volumes. Questions have been asked in the UK House of Commons concerning the amount of revenue which the UK government is generating from using call queuing on these numbers^[1]. It is claimed that calls to Welfare Benefit Claim and Retirement Pension lines are being charged in this way, which many may find objectionable.^{[citation needed]}

There is increasing consumer opposition to 0870 numbers due to this per minute revenue sharing, most of all because call queuing is permitted whilst charging and thus revenue generation continues. This is because the public have become increasingly aware of the per minute revenue sharing with non-geographic numbers. (The public is clearly aware of the situation with overt 09 Premium rate numbers, where prices have to be clearly indicated, and on which call queuing is specifically prohibited). There has been increasing media coverage^[2][3] which has raised awareness of this.

Some consumers have sought ways of avoiding calling 0870 numbers by instead calling a non-advertised geographic number.^[4]

Call charges

From UK landlines

• The cost of calling an 0870 number is usually higher than calling a geographic 01 or 02 number. 0870 is not included in call plans offering "free national calls".

• Prices include VAT.

From UK mobiles

• The charges shown generally apply to calls from pre-paid mobile plans ("pay-as-you-go") with VAT included.
• The charges may be lower on post-pay ("pay monthly") plans, but can be more expensive on other mobile providers.
• The monthly minutes (sometimes called free minutes) included in price plans generally do not apply to 0870 numbers, which are charged separately.

From abroad

When calling from outside the UK (i.e. +44 870) many operators charge the call as a "Premium Rate Service" or "Mobile call" (sic). Examples: AT&T^[19], CommuniTel^[20], SkypeOut^[21]. The result in most cases is that the cost of calling +44 870 from outside the UK is significantly more than the cost of calling a UK geographical number (e.g. +44 20 for London) plus the cost of an 0870 call within the UK. The increased charge is levied by the UK partner onto the non-UK operator and passed directly to the caller.

With many pre-paid phonecards calls to +44 870 are blocked.^[22] Either the UK partner does not connect the inbound call or the phonecard provider does not accept the charge levied by the UK operator.

Future

Ofcom originally announced that from February 2008, revenue sharing on the 0870 number range would no longer be allowed, and that a new range of non-geographic numbers will be made available to service providers in the 03 numbers range, known as UK-wide codes, for those organisations who require a national presence, but who do not wish to charge Premiums to consumers for contacting them. Ofcom also were going to permit the higher rate of charge for 0870 numbers to continue provided that there was a Public Announcement before the Call (PAC). However, since that announcement Ofcom has changed its decision, because of Health and Safety implications^[23] and now postponed any changes with regard to 0870 number range. It seems this may be because they now intend to move 0870 numbers under the regulation of PhonepayPlus as with 0871, to continue as Premium numbers with call queuing permitted^{[citation needed]}. Originally Ofcom had announced that call tariffs for 0870 were going to change to being the same as for geographic numbers, unless there was a PAC, but now for the foreseeable future this will not be so. The call tariffs and call discounts for 03 numbers will be the same as if the consumer was calling a geographic (01 or 02) number, The new 03 numbers range is also intentionally numerically next to the existing geographic number ranges.^[24]

It remains to be seen which organisations will move to the new 03 numbers range and how many will migrate to the 0844, 0845 or 0871 number ranges, as some have already been doing, to continue receiving Premiums with call queuing permitted. Any migration will now be delayed until Ofcom have announced their new decision for the 0870 number range.

References

External links

• BT UK Price List